Elaine Herbert Receives the 2017 Cleo Curtis Award

As you all know each year we have been giving out the Cleo Curtis Award to an individual who has contributed to our industry and to our organization. The award is named after Cleo Curtis one of our Charter Members and the original designer of the Duncan Ceramics Education program. The Duncan Educational Program started several decades ago in the late sixties. To honor Cloe’s memory this award was established. The award is determined by a selection committee after nominations, that are made from the general membership.

Our 2017 recipient was Elaine Herbert of Arizona. To be sure Elaine was overwhelmed and surprised of her selection. David Hoff announced the award and asked all the previous recipients of this award to join him on the stage. Last year’s award winner Bill Young did the honors of pinning the Cleo Curtis pin onto Elaine. Hugs from all winners overflowed the stage and everyone was delighted with this year’s choice.

Here are my notes from the evening.

Good evening everyone:

Tonight I have the privilege of announcing and introducing our 2017 Cleo Curtis Award. Winner To be sure I am very excited to tell you the name of this well deserved recipient. I personally have known this person for many years. We have worked together for decades and in some ways grew up together. Our winner is a Mother, a Daughter, a Grandmother. She loves practical jokes and enjoys a good off color joke. In fact she, in her day has tied a dead snake to her brother’s chair to scare the heck out of him. I been told it worked.

You will find our recipient for the most part having a smile and laughter is one of her leading trade marks. However there is a serious side, as well. Our individual manages a well oiled ceramics distributorship in a major south west city. Her brother manages another branch in the same state but different city. By now you have guessed the winner but let me go on. Elaine Herbert is our winner and she has over the years always taken the needs of this organization and the industry to heart. Elaine has been Convention Director for two years, Financial Director for the last two years. In addition is has been a thoughtful and helpful member to many chapters in Arizona. While doing this for all of us, she is a guiding influence in Marjon Ceramics. We all know the impact Marjon Ceramics in Phoenix and Tucson has on the Arizona Fired Arts market.

So let me introduce our winner Elaine Herbert

Written by David Hoff